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5 Minute Restaurant Style Salsa
5 from 18 votes

5 Minute Restaurant Style Salsa

This fresh salsa blends tomatoes, onion, garlic, jalapeño, cilantro, and seasonings for a bright, balanced sauce. The mixture is pulsed briefly to preserve some chunkiness, resulting in a textured salsa with fresh acidity and moderate heat. It's ideal for serving with chips or as a topping, and it develops deeper flavor after resting overnight.

Prep Time
5 mins
Total Time
5 mins
Servings: 4 Servings
Calories: 16 kcal
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Mexican

Ingredients

  • 2 tomato 12 ounces OR 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
  • 1/4 small onion don't go crazy. You don't want dragon breath
  • 1/2 clove garlic or 1 very small clove
  • 1/2 jalapeño seeds and membranes discarded
  • 3 tablespoons cilantro
  • 2 teaspoons lime juice fresh! fresh!
  • 1/4 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon sugar
  • black pepper to taste, optional

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Core the tomatoes and slice them in half. Add them to a food processor or blender. 
  2. If you are using canned tomatoes, drain them in a colander. Or squeeze a handful at a time out over the sink. Add drained tomatoes to the blender.
  3. Add the onion. Smash the garlic with the side of a knife and add that too. 
  4. Add half a jalapeno.
  5. Add the cilantro. I just chopped off what looked like about 3 tablespoons worth of leaves from the bunch and threw it in. You can always add more if you want.
  6. Add the lime juice, cumin, salt, sugar, and black pepper.
  7. Pulse the mixture about 1 full second at a time until blended. Stop a few times to scrape down the edges so you get everything chopped up. Don't go overboard or it will get too watery. 
  8. Serve with chips! Juanitas are the best chips. The salsa tastes great right away, but is even better the next day, after the flavors have married. Such a great union. 

Notes

  • Consider adding well-drained canned green chiles, preferably fire roasted, for an additional smoky flavor.
  • The salsa tastes best after resting overnight, allowing the flavors to combine and deepen.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1cup Calories 16kcal (1%) Carbohydrates 3g (1%) Protein 1g (2%) Fat 1g (2%) Saturated Fat 1g (5%) Polyunsaturated Fat 1g (6%) Monounsaturated Fat 1g (5%) Potassium 165mg (4%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 2g (4%) Vitamin A 554IU (11%) Vitamin C 12mg (13%) Calcium 10mg (1%) Iron 1mg (6%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4 Servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 16

% Daily Value*

Serving 1cup
Calories 16kcal 1%
Carbohydrates 3g 1%
Protein 1g 2%
Fat 1g 2%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g 6%
Monounsaturated Fat 1g 5%
Potassium 165mg 4%
Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 2g 4%
Vitamin A 554IU 11%
Vitamin C 12mg 13%
Calcium 10mg 1%
Iron 1mg 6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.